Drill guide

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a drill guide for use in the dental field. The drill guide comprises a one-part or multi-part grip and at least two guide sleeves which each have an upper end and a lower end, the grip having a top face and an underside. At least part of the underside of the grip is intended to bear on a drill jig. The at least two guide sleeves protrude from the underside of the grip.

The present invention relates to a drill guide for use in the dental field.

To achieve a prosthetically optimized implant axis, a drill jig is often used, e.g. an OP jig or CT splint. Drill jigs are known for guiding dental implant drills for preparing the jaw bone and are intended to receive one or more dental implants. Drill jigs of this kind are modeled manually or manufactured with the aid of a computer (CAM). They have drill holes that serve to guide a dental implant drill or the implant during a surgical intervention. Standardized metal drill sleeves (hereinafter standard drill sleeves) are often incorporated into the drill jigs, e.g. polymerized in or pressed in, so as to increase the precision of the drilling operations. During a surgical intervention, the dental implant drill is guided by such a sleeve. The drill jig thus serves to ensure that the drilling is carried out precisely in accordance with the optimal implant axes that have been determined at the planning stage.

In most implantation methods, the drilling is carried out in several steps. For example, a first drilling step is carried out with a pilot drill of small diameter, followed by a drilling step using a twist drill having the final diameter of the implant that is to be inserted. Depending on the method used, other drills with intermediate diameters or other cutting geometries may also be needed.

To apply this method, suitable reduction sleeves that define the diameter of the drilling are fitted into the holes or standard drill sleeves of the drill jigs.

The fact that the reduction sleeves are also exchanged during the treatment, and that they typically have diameters of less than 6 mm, results in handling difficulties and even the risk of aspiration by the patient.

Reduction sleeves with grip-like extensions are known from WO 06/130067. The step-wise reduction in diameter is achieved by several reduction sleeves being stacked one inside another.

WO 06/014130 describes a reduction sleeve which is connected to a grip via a ball-and-socket hinge so as to be able to address different space situations in the patient's mouth.

WO 97/49351 discloses an implant-supported device for guiding a drill, with an auxiliary insert from which two reduction sleeves of identical diameter protrude and are held in a parallel position via a flat connection.

The object of the present invention is to make available an aid that is easy to handle and that can be used to reduce the diameter of the holes in drill jigs. The object is achieved by a drill guide with the features of claim 1. Other preferred embodiments form the subject matter of claims 2 through 16.

By means of the drill guide according to the invention, it is possible to work with a large number of different drills in one drill jig, without the need for complicated handling of small reduction sleeves. By simply turning the drill guide according to the invention, the surgeon is able to insert a guide sleeve of greater internal diameter into the drill jig. With a matched set of two drill guides according to the invention, four different drill diameters are covered, which is sufficient for most methods for producing a drilled hole for an implant.

The drill guide according to the invention comprises a one-part or multi-part grip and at least two guide sleeves which each have an upper end and a lower end. The grip has a top face and an underside. The at least two guide sleeves protrude from the underside of the grip, i.e. they are arranged on the same side of the grip. The drill guide is in this way less bulky and can also be easily used in a difficult space situation in the patient's mouth.

The grip can be rigid or shapeable. It can also be flat, semicircular or round. In order to ensure better sterilization, the surface is preferably smooth. The length of the drill guide according to the invention is chosen such that the potential drilling sites in the jaw bone can be reached and the grip can generally be grasped outside the oral cavity. The preferred grip of the drill guide according to the invention has a length of between 5 and 12 cm.

At least part of the underside of the grip is intended to bear on a drill jig. In this way, the dentist is provided with still greater stability during drilling, such that the drill cannot slip. This bearing part preferably bears on the drill jig directly adjacent to the guide sleeve. This can, for example, be the radially outward continuation of the guide sleeve on the grip or can also be an endpiece of the grip.

The top face of the grip, next to the guide sleeve, serves as a drill stop for the drilling tool, i.e. it ensures that the surgeon does not drill too deeply. This avoids damage to nerves during drilling.

The guide sleeves, which protrude from the underside of the grip, have an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is directed toward the grip, while the lower end is arranged on the side directed away from the underside of the grip. It is possible to produce the guide sleeves separately and to insert them into the grip, in which case the upper end of the guide sleeve is connected to the grip. However, it is preferable for the drill guide to be made in one piece, in order to ensure better sterilization. The guide sleeves are cylindrical and have such an external diameter that they fit exactly into the drill holes of the drill jig or into the corresponding standard drill sleeves. The internal diameter is adapted to the diameters of the drills. In a preferred embodiment, the drill guide according to the invention has at least two guide sleeves, of which the internal diameter corresponds in each case to two standard diameters of drills for dental implants with diameters of between 2 and 5 mm. A set of two drill guides, each with two guide sleeves adapted to drill diameters of 2.2, 2.8, 3.5 and 4.2 mm, represents a preferred embodiment.

The height of the guide sleeves determines, together with the geometry of the drilling tool, the precision of the drilling operation. Long guide sleeves increase the precision of the drill guide, but at the same time also increase the overall height of those parts of the drill jig, drill guide and drilling tool bearing on one another. Satisfactory results are achieved with guide sleeves with a height starting from 5 mm in the cylindrical area. Ideally, however, the height is not more than 10 mm.

The guide sleeves can be arranged one at each end of the grip, or it is also possible for several guide sleeves to be arranged at one end of the grip. The latter embodiment preferably has predetermined break points between the guide sleeves and can advantageously be used as a disposable drill guide.

Instruments used in dental implantology must in particular take into account the dimensions and physiology of the patient's mouth. If two guide sleeves are connected via a grip, they should be arranged in such a way that the second end of the drill guide, not situated in the drill jig, does not impede the use of the first guide sleeve to be fitted in the drill jig. Besides the fact that the guide sleeves are arranged on the same side of the grip, it is of advantage for the grip to be angled. In a preferred embodiment, for example, both ends of the grip are S-shaped, such that the grip has a bridge-like shape. In this way, the patient's tongue is given sufficient space under it and is kept away from the drilling site by the grip lying above it. In addition, the drill guide is preferably shaped in such a way that it can also be used without any problem anywhere in a partially toothed jaw. Therefore, the S-shaped angle in the grip should be as close as possible to the guide sleeve. At the same time, sufficient space for the headpiece of the customary dental drilling devices must remain above the guide sleeve. The guide sleeves of the present invention are preferably parallel to one another on the grip, since in this way the overall height of the drill guide remains smaller. It is also conceivable, however, for the grip to be angled, this angled configuration preferably being arranged in the middle part of the grip. Such an angled configuration means that the guide sleeves are also at an angle to one another.

When using a plurality of drill guides according to the invention, a coding arrangement can be employed. The color codes often used on the drills can be adopted for the drill guides and can be applied at a suitable location, for example on the grip near the corresponding guide sleeve. Alternatively, the guide sleeve itself can be painted the appropriate color.

Operating instruments used in surgery must be able to be reliably cleaned and sterilized. For this reason, one-part drill guides with smooth and accessible surfaces are preferred. Particular preference is given to one-part drill guides produced in one piece, since they do not have any connection points. However, multi-part drill guides with connection points that do not form gaps, and that are easy to clean, are also conceivable.

It is also advantageous, during treatment, to be able to use operating instruments that do not have to be adjusted, modified or exchanged. The drill guides according to the invention meet these requirements. They have no undercuts and are easy to sterilize.

The preferred materials from which the drill guides of the present invention are made include stainless steel, titanium or other metal alloys customarily used in surgery. To increase the useful life of the drill guide, parts of the drill guide, for example the guide sleeves, can additionally be treated by surface-hardening techniques. One expedient technique for hardening of stainless steel is Kolsterizing.

The drill guide according to the invention can be made available in sets together with drill jigs. It is likewise possible for several drill guides with different internal diameters to be made available in one set.

The drill guide according to the invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of preferred embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 shows a drill guide according to the invention with two guide sleeves.

FIG. 2 shows a drill guide with a shapeable grip.

FIG. 3 shows a drill guide with more than two guide sleeves with an adjustable grip.

FIG. 4 shows a drill jig with an inserted drill guide and a dental drill.

FIG. 5 shows a drill guide with several guide sleeves at one end of the grip.

A drill guide 1 for use in the dental field is depicted in FIG. 1. The drill guide 1 has a one-part grip 5 and at least two guide sleeves 10, each with an upper end 15 directed toward the grip, and an end 20 directed away from the grip. The grip has a top face 25 and an underside 30, and a part 35 of the underside 30 is intended to bear on the drill jig. This part 35, which is in direct proximity to the guide sleeve 10, ensures that the drill guide sits on the drill jig. The at least two guide sleeves 10 protrude from the underside 30 of the grip and are each arranged at the end of the grip. By virtue of the fact that the guide sleeves are oriented in the same direction, i.e. are arranged on the same side of the grip, it is possible to leave as much room as possible in the oral cavity for the tongue and to allow the patient a comfortable angle of opening of the mouth during the drilling procedure. To ensure that the drill guide, when fitted into the drill jig, does not as a whole extend too far into the oral cavity and does not have a disadvantageous overall height, the grip preferably has a double angle or an S-shaped portion, such that the drill guide has a bridge-like shape. The S-shaped angle is as close as possible to the guide sleeve.

The drill guide shown in FIG. 1 is made in one piece and has no undercuts. The one-piece configuration means that there are no connections between individual components, which connections may possibly make it more difficult to sterilize the drill guide. It is also conceivable, however, for the drill guide according to FIG. 1 to be made in several pieces, by producing the guide sleeves separately and connecting them to the grip.

FIG. 2 shows a drill guide analogous to that of FIG. 1. This one too has a grip 5 with at least two guide sleeves 10. In contrast to the drill guide in FIG. 1, the grip 5 of the drill guide in FIG. 2 is angled. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the grip can be bent by hand, which allows the operator to work with the drill guide according to the invention even in very difficult conditions as far as available space is concerned. The grip can in this case comprise a plastic and also an elastic element. The grip is particularly preferably composed of an elastic metal core, which is coated with a plastic material that improves gripping. The angled configuration of the grip means that the axes of the guide sleeves are at a slight angle to each other. The angle is preferably in a range of 5 to 20°.

FIG. 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the drill guide according to the invention. This one comprises a multi-part grip 5, with different grip portions 40 a, 40 b, 40 c and 40 d. The individual grip portions are connected via a common shaft 45, such that the grip is pivotable about this common shaft. The individual grip portions each have a guide sleeve at one end. Thus, in a single instrument, the operator has all the reduction sleeves he needs. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the portions of the grip each have different lengths, such that the guide sleeves can be rotated past one another.

FIG. 4 shows a section through a drill jig 50 that contains the drill guide according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The drill guide 1 comprises a one-part grip 5, with several guide sleeves 10 arranged at one end thereof. This embodiment permits more efficient working, since the drill guide does not have to be removed from the mouth when another guide sleeve is inserted into the drill jig.

The other advantageous properties of the drill guides described above for FIG. 1 can also be realized in the embodiments according to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. 

1. A drill guide (1) for use in the dental field, comprising a one-part or multi-part grip (5) and at least two guide sleeves (10) which each have an upper end (15) and a lower end (20), the grip (5) having a top face (25) and an underside (30), and the underside (30) of the grip being intended to bear at least partially on a drill jig, wherein the at least two guide sleeves (10) protrude from the underside (30) of the grip.
 2. The drill guide (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drill guide (1) is made in one piece.
 3. The drill guide (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drill guide (1) is made in several pieces.
 4. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a guide sleeve (10) is arranged at each end of the grip (5).
 5. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 through 3, wherein several guide sleeves (10) are arranged at one end of the grip (5).
 6. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the grip (5) is angled.
 7. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the grip has an S-shaped portion near the guide sleeve.
 8. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the grip (5) can be bent by hand.
 9. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide sleeves (10) are parallel to one another.
 10. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide sleeves (10) are at an angle to one another.
 11. The drill guide (1) with a multi-part grip (5) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-part grip (5) is pivotable about a common axis.
 12. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, made of stainless steel.
 13. The drill guide (1) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein one guide sleeve (10) has an internal diameter of 3.5 mm and one guide sleeve (10) has an internal diameter of 4.2 mm.
 14. A kit comprising a drill jig (50) with drill holes and a drill guide (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 through 13, wherein the external diameter of the guide sleeve (10) matches the diameter of the drill holes in the drill jig.
 15. A kit comprising a drill jig, with drill holes containing standard drill sleeves, and a drill guide as claimed in one of claims 1 through 13, wherein the external diameter of the guide sleeve matches the diameter of the standard drill sleeves contained in the drill holes of the drill jig.
 16. A kit comprising two drill guides as claimed in one of claims 1 through 13, wherein all the guide sleeves have different internal diameters. 